"Paul Cuffe--captain, ship businessman, and devout Quaker--presents a day-to-day picture of his life through his letters and logs from his brig, the Traveller. As one of few black Quakers, his faith and ideals led him to attempt remarkable trading partnerships. Editor Rosalind Wiggins draws from his writings during 1808 to 1817 as she shares with readers the actual words of this self-educated merchant-man and brings to life the politics and issues of Cuffe's period. As readers become accustomed to reading the archaic language of the day, they will see the insurmountable obstacles Cuffe faced--including the War of 1812, a trade embargo, and the increased power of slave traders. But the reader also learns much about a remarkable man who, without formal schooling, methodically documented both dreams and daily routine ... This presentation of original source documents makes an important contribution to scholars' view of the activities of free blacks before the Civil War and forms a significant addition to existing biographical information about Paul Cuffe."--Back cover.